OBJECTIVES
The general objective of the ONCORAD project is the development of the institutional capacity for research and development of the project partners, specifically in the field of radio-pharmaceutics and nuclear techniques in oncology, as well as their use in imagistic studies and molecular based personalized treatment. The coordinating institution, IFIN-HH, a reference centre in nuclear physics at a European level will increase, through this consortium, the interconnection of already existing research in the fields of radiobiology and radio- pharmaceutics, as well as in personalized medicine in oncology.
Project 4, Coordinator: Fundeni Clinical Institute, CSI Dr. Simona Olimpia Dima.
The main objective of this project is to develop an innovative technology by combining a promising panel of biomarkers: number of radio-induced micronuclei, number of radio-induced γ-H2AX foci, gene expression profile of genes involved in the repair of genetic lesions (XRCC1, XRCC3, ATM, HAP1, TP53, CDKN1A, RAD9A, PTTG1, LIG3, MAD2L2) from blood samples to predict clinical toxic effects of radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer and head and neck cancers. These possible molecular biomarkers will be evaluated on samples from patients both before treatment (through external radiotherapy) and after in vitroirradiation (with ionizing radiation from external sources – X rays and internal sources – radiopharmceutics) to determine individual in vitroradiosensibility. Furthermore, we will corelate the incidence of acute side effects (clinical in vivoradiosensibility) from radiotherapy with radiosensibility parameters obtained from in vitro tests. As such, we will test the prediction power of the proposed biomarkers.
Our model will be validated by using diagnosis and therapy radionuclide as an in vitroradiation source. As far as we know, this is the first study which will corelate in vitro radiosensibility with both X ray and radiopharmaceutics treatment.
Our project has the following specific objectives:
(1) Testing the predictive value of each biomarkers in regards to clinical side effects of radiotherapy.
(2) Developing a prediction model for individual clinical radiosensibility which will allow for stratification of patients and treatment personalization
(3) Validation of this model by using diagnosis and therapy radionuclide obtained in Project 2 of this consortium
(4) Creating a relevant biobank of samples from patients with radiosensibility, which will be open to other studies
(5) Creating a database of epidemiological, treatment and side effects data.
This project has the potential to improve quality of life of cancer patients and to reduce medical costs.